Waking up gasping for air after dreaming of getting strangled is one of the worst things that can happen in your sleep. Yet, as creepy and horrible as this may be, these nightmares are common. So what does it mean to dream about being asphyxiated?
If you dream of getting asphyxiated, there’s a high chance you’re limiting yourself in real life. You’re stopping yourself from doing something, and it’s killing you mentally. There’s a chance you’re getting metaphorically suffocated by a person, your job, or other kinds of stress in life.
But the exact meaning of being asphyxiated in your dream will depend on what else happened during it. Read on to find the meaning behind your dream!
What Does it Mean to Dream About Being Asphyxiated?
We tend to get horrible dreams when something negative happens, or if we’re overly stressed in our waking life. These thoughts manifest in our sleep, hence, the appearance of these dreams.
So if you’ve ever had one of these dreams and want to know what it means, we’re here to help. Here are some scenarios that may be related to your dream which could help you determine its true meaning.
1. Troubling Emotions Aren’t Being Dealt With
Dreaming of getting asphyxiated could mean you aren’t dealing with the emotions that are troubling you in your waking life. The dream symbolizes your feelings or emotions getting repressed, and you have difficulties speaking out and expressing them.
Face these and fix them, no matter how difficult they may be. Such emotions will continue eating you up, and you won’t get to live happily until you’ve faced these challenges head-on.
2. Stop Trying to Stifle Your Emotions
When you dream of strangling another person, the dream still relates to you and is actually positive. It indicates that you’re forcing yourself to control your emotions. It’s likely you’re getting a handle on a portion of your life that felt uncontrollable.
Another possible reason for the dream is you’re about to betray your true inner feelings or thoughts. This may also affect the people around you. If you get these dreams, it’s best to take some time off to focus on yourself. Think of the places in your life where you can’t freely express your emotions, preventing you from growing how you want.
3. There is Self-doubt Lingering in Your System
If you’re getting strangled in your dream and start suffocating because of it, it depicts your self-doubt. Since this is the case, sit down and think about the aspects of your personality that require more breathing space.
Simply put, the dream tells you about your conflicts with yourself. It’s usually related to your inner self and the world around you. It’s your mind warning that if you don’t do anything about it, you’re going to burn out.
4. An End to Something Terrible
Another reason you’re having this type of dream is because of an illness you’re suffering from. Thankfully, it means the end of it. So continue what you’re doing to treat it because you’re on the right track.
If you’re suffocating while in a narrow area, the dream foretells the clarity of your mind. And often, suffocation relates to recovery, so it has a positive connotation.
However, if it’s another person who’s being asphyxiated, it means you’ll get the chance to win over your rivals. Overall, suffocating in your dream depicts a struggle you’re suffering from in real life. You likely want to change and improve but have no idea how to do it.
5. It Denotes How You are in Life
If your dream has someone trying to strangle and suffocate you, it means you’re powerless. Plus, it could also mean you distance yourself from maternal instincts.
Now, if you’re strangling another person to suffocate them completely, that’s a different story. It’s a reflection of your actions and attitude in your waking life. The reason for this type of dream is you’re likely denying an essential aspect of your attitude and expressions.
6. The Weight of Daily Anxieties
This kind of dream can also depict your anxieties and fear over specific life situations. You’re getting stressed over the toxic people surrounding you, controlling superiors, family issues, ungrateful friends, or even your bad-tempered self.
All these are stressing you out, thus, resulting in negative thoughts and behavior that manifest in your dreams.
7. A Sign of Transformation
Not all dreams of being asphyxiated are bad because sometimes, it means a good change. The thing is, you’ll need to change your perspective or change how you act in real life. This dream could also mean you’re going through a period of development and growth that will help you improve yourself.
8. Hints of a Hidden Potential
If you suddenly dream of strangling and suffocating a baby, don’t worry, it doesn’t mean you’re a bad person. The dream is actually positive since it directs to a hidden potential you have. You’re probably dealing with self-development, yet are doubting your capabilities and skills.
The dream is telling you to believe in yourself, so quit doubting. Instead, trust, and focus on the process. It could be a hidden talent or a passion you haven’t discovered since you’ve been setting things aside.
But since babies in a dream denote a person’s weakness, suffocating one could also depict your weakness. And overall, the dream could be pointing out your willingness to eliminate your fragility.
9. You’re Setting Aside Life Aspects
Dreaming about someone else suffocating means you should reconsider some aspects of your life that you’ve been putting off. These dreams warn you to be ready for problems if you continue acting like nothing’s wrong or bothering you.
10. Emotional Changes and Escape from Restrictions
Having a dream about suffocating an animal suggests you’re going through emotional turmoil. In your waking life, you’re often unsure how to feel or act in a given situation. Dreaming of suffocating a dog may indicate that you’re trying to unlock a part of yourself that’s hidden from everyone.
If an animal suffocates you in your dreams, it could represent the desire to break free from your psychological constraints. You may also want to escape the stress you’re experiencing, even if it appears there’s nothing you can do in reality.
11. A Sign of Growth and Changes for the Better
Dreaming about suffocating yourself shows your need or desire to change. You’ve likely conducted a self-evaluation and identified some areas that need improvement. However, the changes can impact or harm the people around you. Although possible, don’t worry because you’ll be able to redeem yourself once your new self is reborn.
12. Reconnection with Old Friends or Acquaintances
If you dream about being strangled, there’s a big chance you’ll run into an old friend you haven’t seen in a while.
This individual may appear out of nowhere: in a restaurant, down the street, or even at work. It’s a surprise, yet an incredible opportunity. You will be overjoyed to run into each other as this is someone you still have a lot of affection for.
13. Lacking Self-confidence
If you suddenly dream about getting strangled, it could mean you’re having difficulties making decisions. In your waking life, you’re an open-minded person but because of this, decision-making becomes a challenge.
So, you end up getting bewildered and feel uncertain when faced with problems. Why? Because you consider all options and you’re also afraid of mistakes. You should be confident in the choices you make, and if anything, mistakes should be considered a learning point.
14. Greater Ambitions
Another possible meaning of this type of dream is how you feel about your career in real life. You’re likely in the middle of a challenging career cycle, despite your bosses admiring you and your excellent work.
But while everything in your career already seems close to perfect, you still sense the need for more. You know you can do more, so aim for something higher and better.
What you’re doing now is becoming monotonous, and you don’t feel any growth or improvement. Instead, you feel you’re stagnating, which is reflected in your dreams.
15. A Sign of Incoming Dangers
If you suddenly dream about getting strangled by a relative, the dream tells you about imminent danger, or you may get into a devious transaction.
The dream warns you of possibly becoming a victim of fraud or betrayal. It’s time to be vigilant and aware of any dangers. It’s important not to jump to conclusions but make sure to ask plenty of questions about any deals you may be involved with.
Conclusion
The asphyxiation that you have in your dream is usually a representation that you are being smothered metaphorically in your waking life. Many things are stressing you out, and you don’t feel like you’re growing as a person, or perhaps you’re trapped in a relationship.
So if you’ve ever dreamt of being asphyxiated, it is a warning sign to your waking life. If you feel emotionally trapped, make sure you break free, even if that means taking a leap of faith.
